It rained the following night and again briefly in the morning, but by the time we were ready to head out, the sun had claimed the day and the dark clouds blown away beyond the horizon. We drove to Gungahlin and shopped at Coles for provisions, returned to camp and stowed everything away then sat about reading the paper until lunchtime.
After lunch we headed cack to the War Memorial but this
time to walk up and down Anzac Parade, the wide boulevard with the central band
of red gravel. I learned today that the gravel was sourced from the crushed
bricks from Canberra homes. Why the homes had to give up their bricks, I have
yet to discover. Australian towns are particularly noted for their wide
streets, some wider than others, but none surpass or even match those here in
Canberra, and Anzac Parade must be king of them all.
Eleven memorials flank this stretch with spaces left
for more to be built in the years ahead, and each is impressive and worthy of a
visit. For us, some stood out, notably:
·
The Australian Vietnam Forces National
Memorial: Three massive concrete walls rise from a shallow moat forming a
central space where one can stand and read the inscriptions, a series of
quotations intended to recall events of military, political and emotional
importance. The photograph etched into the rear wall shows soldiers waiting to
be airlifted to their base. A suspended granite ring contains a scroll bearing
the names of the Australians who died in the conflict. Apart from being a
poignant reminder of this war, it is a magnificent piece of art.
·
The Australian National Korean War
Memorial: Here granite and gravel have been used to mimic the harsh climate,
and a forest of stainless steel poles surrounding a boulder from the
battlefield, symbolise those who dies. Like the memorial for the war in
Vietnam, this has a twofold effect.
·
The Australian Services Nurses National
Memorial: A timeline sequence is etched and cast into glass walls, portraying
the history and contributions of the Australian Nurses. For me,
it symbolised both the fragility yet strength of courageous women, and none so
great as those who were there close to the front to witness the horror of war.
As I examined all these memorials, I thought how their pristine state
would be short lived in New Zealand. Vandalism would reduce them to eyesores in
no short time at all. Here in Australia there seems to be greater respect
accorded monuments and the like, and there are certainly many. On every country
road, one passes a monument to the women of the district, the pioneers of the
district, the miners of the district; in fact anyone who paused long enough to
be acknowledged.
I was particularly touched by the New Zealand Memorial; a pair of “flax”
kete handles in bronze, one each side of the parade and set at the base, the
interpretation of a traditional Maori proverb, translated “each of us at a
handle of the basket”. Both flags were flying high, side by side, just as Chris
and I, citizens from each country.
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| The National Carillon |
We walked around the tiny island, watching a small yacht tack across the
lake in the breeze, and then, surprisingly, sail on up under the road bridge
and on up toward the yacht club. By now the sun was shining in a wintery kind
of way and the breeze, although quite strong, was not cold at all. Perhaps we
had seen the end of the very cold snap?
Here on the edge of the lake, we learned that Prime Minister Robert
Menzies was instrumental in the early
1950’s in pushing progress along here in Canberra. He changed his earlier view
of the capital city as a place of exile and isolation, a view held by many
fellow Australians of the time, to one of being an opportunity to do something.
Canberra was unkindly labelled by some as “a cemetery with lights”, “the ruin
of a good sheep station” and “six suburbs in search of a city”. The walkway
around the lake is one of the many projects Menzies put into action and we
certainly enjoyed that today.
One of the very few remaining buildings of pre-Griffin Canberra is
situated here on the lake edge. Blundell Cottage, a five roomed stone cottage,
was built in about 1858 and occupied by a tenant farmer until about 1933. There
is a rather sad story told on the interpretative board about one of the
Blundell daughters; Florrie, the oldest child, died at the tender age of
sixteen after catching fire while ironing. This would never occur now; sixteen
year old girls today just don’t bother to iron.The cottage is open to the public, but not on Friday’s.
 |
| Blundell Cottage |
“Those
heroes that shed their blood and lost their lives…You are now lying in the soil
of a friendly country. Therefore rest in peace. There is no difference between
the Johnnies and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by side now here in this
country of ours…you, the mothers, who sent their sons from faraway countries
wipe away your tears; your sons are now lying in our bosom and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they have become our sons as well.”
We had yet to complete our visit to the War Memorial; we just hoped we
had enough days left to squeeze a last couple of hours in. The days are passing
so quickly.
It was colder this morning but still no forecasted rain. The road in and
out of the camp was busy with market traffic however this did nothing to lure
us to revisit. At the other end of the exhibition park, the Erotica Lifestyles
Expo, was well underway for the weekend, but again we were not tempted to even
investigate the entry fee. Erotica Expos are just not on my bucket list.
We headed off back once more to the National War Memorial because I had
discovered our preferred destination for the day, the museum, was not open until
midday on weekends. And so we spent a further hour and three quarters taking in
areas of the museum yet explored, and I took the opportunity to return to the
Korean Way gallery to get more of a handle on the concise history of the war. I
have found this gallery to be most enlightening on many subjects but
particularly so as regards the Korean War. My father served in this war and has
never being particularly forthcoming. Perhaps that is an unfair comment; rather
the fact that daughters are not normally receptive to the details of war
service. Now with a greater understanding of both the intricacies of the
history and geography, I will be able to target my curiosity more specifically.
The following is recorded for my own benefit, as a quick summary of the
War’s history:
Korea was annexed by Japan in 1910, and remained part of the Japanese empire until 1945. After the Second World War the peninsula was crudely divided along the 38th Parallel into a Soviet-controlled communist north (the People’s Democratic Republic of Korea) and the US backed pro-Western Republic of Korea (ROK) in the south. By 1949 both the United States and the Soviet Union had formally withdrawn. But tensions between the two halves remained high, with UN observers obliged to monitor the border. In 1950 these tensions erupted into war, when on 25 June, the Soviet-backed North Korea invaded South Korea. The UN Security demanded the North Koreans withdraw. When they refused, the United Nations intervened. Led by the United States, twenty countries, including Australia, eventually responded to the UN appeal. No one realised the war would last for three years and that occupation forces would be required for some years after.
June –
September 1950:
Even the arrival of US troops could not prevent North Korean forces from over-running most of the south. By August only a small enclave surrounding the southern port of Pusan remained under UN control.
Even the arrival of US troops could not prevent North Korean forces from over-running most of the south. By August only a small enclave surrounding the southern port of Pusan remained under UN control.
September
– October 1950: United Nations Advance:
On 15
September the commander of UN forces in Korea, US General Douglas MacArthur,
made a daring amphibious landing near Inchon, to the south-west of Seoul, the
South Korean capital. It was a masterstroke and instantly turned the war
around. When UN forces broke out of the Pusan Perimeter a week later, the North
Koreans were forced into a rapid retreat. After reaching the 38th
Parallel, MacArthur continued the pursuit, though many at the United Nations
and elsewhere questioned this decision. The UN advance pushed northwards and on
19th October Pyongyang, the North Korean capital was captured. As
the UN troops approached the Yalu River, which marked the border between Korea
and China, the new communist Chinese government became deeply concerned.
Secretly it began to send troops onto North Korea.
November
1950 – April 1951: Chinese Advance and UN Counter-offensive:
After an
initial attack at the beginning of November, the Chinese launched a massive
offensive against the UN Command towards the end of the month. With the balance
of power reversed, UN troops began another chaotic withdrawal south, hampered
by the difficult conditions caused by a heavy winter. By the start of January
1951 Seoul had fallen for the second time and the Chinese were advancing into
South Korea. In the New Year, a series of methodical attacks by the UN forces
recaptured Seoul and pushed the Chinese back towards the 38th
Parallel. By April the lines were close to the positions that had been held
when the war started. MacArthur remained ken to pursue a vigorous offensive
against the communists. But the US government now wanted simply to re-establish
a secure South Korea. On 11 April MacArthur was removed from command.
April 1951-July 1953 Attack and Counter-Attack turns into Static Warfare:
On 22 April 1951 the Chinese launched another major offensive. It was blunted by major actions on the Imjin River and at Kapyong. After falling back a short distance the UN forces turned north once again in May. They advanced through a succession of fortified lines until October. The following month they switched to active defence along these positions. In July 1951 the two sides started negotiations to end the war. It took two years to reach an agreement. Throughout this time, the lines were a static battleground of patrolling and local domination. Based on these fiercely contested positions, a demarcation line was agreed. In an armistice signed on 27 July 1953, a Demilitarised Zone was created to protect the demarcation line. It remains in place today, unchanged more than half a century later.
April 1951-July 1953 Attack and Counter-Attack turns into Static Warfare:
On 22 April 1951 the Chinese launched another major offensive. It was blunted by major actions on the Imjin River and at Kapyong. After falling back a short distance the UN forces turned north once again in May. They advanced through a succession of fortified lines until October. The following month they switched to active defence along these positions. In July 1951 the two sides started negotiations to end the war. It took two years to reach an agreement. Throughout this time, the lines were a static battleground of patrolling and local domination. Based on these fiercely contested positions, a demarcation line was agreed. In an armistice signed on 27 July 1953, a Demilitarised Zone was created to protect the demarcation line. It remains in place today, unchanged more than half a century later.
I was also surprised to learn in the Boer War gallery that 6,500 New Zealand soldiers had taken part in that theatre of war. Australia sent 16,000.
Chris and I met up in the foyer at our agreed time and returned to the
land cruiser, then drove over to the Action Peninsula where the National Museum
is situated. There we sat beside the lake, watching a small paddle steamer chug
up and down the lake while we dined on our sandwiches and the delicacy picked
up at the bakery in Dickson. We have been negligent in avoiding bakeries so I
have instead reduced our sandwich intake.
The National Museum labels itself as representing “Land, Nation,
People”; a social history museum of Australia. We took advantage of the
introductory film experience, a small revolving theatre giving an over view of
Australia’s history using a wealth of photos dragged up from the archives.
The first gallery within the museum is one that tells of unwelcome
immigrants; prickly pears, foxes, rabbits and some more welcome but at odds
with the indigenous flora and fauna, and all with the very best intentions. For
the pleasure and delight of the new white immigrants, 100,000 salmon and 1,000
European brown trout eggs were imported and released into rivers in Victoria
and Tasmania. Honey bees and blackbirds were introduced to make everyone feel
more at home. Buffaloes were introduced from Timor in 1824 and 1827 for meat
and by 1874 there were 20,000 buffalo on the Coburg Peninsula alone. (Note that
this peninsula is 350 kilometres east of Darwin). Camels came to assist with
transport in desert conditions and they and horses went feral as have dozens of
other species.
Further
through the gallery there was a section on agricultural development; how both
grains and wool have been modified over the centuries to produce strains that
prosper in Australia’s unique climate.
Close by
there was a large section of fire, spelling out the horror and the practical
applications of this natural phenomin. Here was an opportunity to detail
statistics of loss in Great Fires marked down in history, and more specifically
the fires in January 2003 which swept through Canberra with the loss of four
lives and over 500 residential properties.
Beyond
this section we came upon a huge area about people, some famous and some just
average people who had left a mark in a small way. One of the more famous was
Charles Sturt who has popped up all alone our way. On one of his trips into the
interior of this land he set off well equipped complete with “15 men, 4 drays, 1 light cart, 11 horses, 6
dogs, 30 bullocks, 200 sheep and a whaleboat”. Needless to say the
whaleboat proved to be superfluous to requirements.
Here too
was mention of the people from Suawesi in Indonesi, the Makassans, who visited
the northern coast of Australia for four months or so every year to harvest trepang, or sea cucumbers or as I knew them
from Vanuatu, beche de mer. This went
on from at least as far back as 1720 through to 1907. Now I would have thought
that nearly two hundred years of contact from people who in turn traded with
the Chinese who had a very advanced civilisation, would have changed the
culture of the aboriginals very significantly. While the exhibition in the
museum and Wikipedia says that “these visits had a profound impact on the
Aboriginals of northern Australia – in language, art, economy and even
genetics”, I would say I have yet to learn myself that this is true. But then, I
have yet been to visit the north west of this country, so what would I know. I
look forward to being amazed!
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